Gas flow controllers are commonly incorporated in gas powered water heaters to control a flow of combustible gas to one or more gas burners, such as a pilot burner and a main burner. To control the flow of gas, and in some gas flow controllers, a gas flow valve may be connected to a gas flow valve actuator assembly that is arranged to open the gas flow valve. Specifically, some gas flow valve actuator assemblies include an exposed electromagnetic actuator, such as an exposed solenoid, which may function, in conjunction with one or more other components, to open the gas flow valve.
During operation, these gas flow valve actuator assemblies may be directly exposed to the gas stream. Due to the use of fracked gas, relatively new contaminants may be entrained in the gas flow such as water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, chlorides, microorganisms capable of attaching to the actuator windings, and the like. Applicants have found that contaminants found in fracked gas may corrode the actuator assemblies, ultimately resulting in shorted or open gas flow valve actuator assemblies. Additionally, some traditional methods of protecting such assemblies may result in heat retention, which can also lead to problems with the assemblies. Current methods of manufacturing actuator assemblies also require significant manual labor, adding cost to the assembly. Accordingly, a cost effective actuator assembly able to withstand such contamination, while still reliably and repeatedly performing the necessary functions of such an actuator, is needed.
This Background section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.